Air valve



Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES AIR VALVE Albert A. Haas, Macon,Ga.

Application April 6,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to air valves and is an improvement over the airvalve construction embodied in my Patent No. 1,996,291, which issuedApril 2, 1935.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved type of air valveof the dust and dirt proof character which is so constructed that thepressure of air within the stem and within the inner tube will act tomaintain the valve means in closed position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simplified end valveconstruction which is constructed in a manner to prevent dirt or dustfrom entering the interior of the valve so as to interfere with theoperation thereof. A further object of this invention is to provide animproved air valve construction of the dust and dirt proof characterwhich is so constructed as to eliminate the use of the usual capprovided on the valve stem and which may be mounted on the stems ofinner tubes or other pressure devices without altering or interferingwith any of the present parts of the device, it being understood thatthe usual valve insides is first removed from the interior of the valvestem.

vantages of this invention will in part be described in, and in part beunderstood from the following'detail description of the presentpreferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a detailed side elevation of a valve stem having an improvedvalve construction constructed according to an embodiment of thisinvention mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section taken on the line2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line ,44 of Figure 2.

Referring tothe drawing wherein like numerals of reference designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral Illdesignates generally the stem of a valve construction which is adaptedto be secured to an inner tube or other container, wherein air or thelike is placed under pressure. Where the hereinafter described valveconstruction is mounted on the stem In which is provided with the usualvalve insides, the usual valve insides are removed so that air mayfreely flow through the bore of the stem I0.

Air is retained in the valve stem l0 and the container to which the stem[0 is secured by The above and various other objects and ad- 1935,Serial No. 15,084

means of a housing, generally designated as H, which is threaded at itslower portion on to the exterior threads provided at the outer end ofthe stem ID. This housing H has a tapered upper portion l2 terminatingin a substantially cylindrical nipple l3. The housing H has a cylinderl4 disposed on the inside thereof which at its upper portion is providedwith a head [5, the lower end of the cylinder l4 being open. A plate orannulus I6 is interposed between the inner or lower end of the cylinder[4 and the top or outer end of the stem l0 and preferably a gasket I1 isdisposed between the inner side of the annulus l6 and the top of thestem l0 so as to seal the cylinder l4 within the housing II.

The cylinder M has a piston I8 slidable therein and the piston l8 has aring I9 sealing the piston within the cylindrical wall of the cylinderl4. Preferably, the lower portion of the cylinder I4 is provided with aplurality of air passages 20 so that when the piston I8 is in its lowermost position, air may freely pass about the periphery of the piston I8.The downward movement of the piston I8 islimited by upstanding lugs 2|secured to the annulus or plate I 6.

The inner side of the head I5 is provided with an annular ring 22 and asealing gasket 23 is disposed on the outer'side of the piston l8 andengages the annular ring 22 so that when the piston I8 is in itsoutermost position, as shown in Figure 2, the gasket 23 will becompressed against the ring 22 andthe passage of air out of the cylinderl4 prevented.

The gasket 23 is secured to the outer side of the piston 18 by means ofa threaded bar 24 which extends through the piston l8 and is providedwith an elongated extension 25 comprising a guide means which isslidable through a bore 26, disposed axially through the head I5. A nut21 is threaded on to the inner end of the bar 24 and maintains the shaftcomprising the guide member 28 and the bar 24 in tight engagementrelative to the piston H3. The lower end'of the shaft or bar 24 isreduced and extended downwardly, as at 28, so as to provide a lowerguide means which is slidable through an eye 29 formed by adiametrically extending bar 30 integral with the annulus IS.

A cup shaped member 3| is interposed between the gasket 23 and the topof the piston l8 and acts to prevent lateral displacement of the gasket23 under pressure of the piston 18. Preferably, the extension 25 of theshaft 24 is provided with longitudinally extending flattened portions 32so that air may freely pass through the bore or opening 26.

A plug or closure 33 having an upper tapered portion 34 and a lowercylindrical portion 35 is disposed in the nipple or reduced potion I3and is provided with an axial stem 36 engaging at its lower end in anopening 31 provided in the upper end of the extension 25. Preferably, a.collar or rib 38 is formed on the stem 36 and acts as an abutment orstop to limit movement of the stem 36 in the bore 31. The underside ofthe plug or closure 33 is recessed, as at 39, and the upper end of acoil spring 40 engages about the stem 36 and within the recessed portion39.

The lower end of the spring 40 engages the upper side of the head I5,and acts to constantly urge the plug or closure 33 into closed position.Preferably, the plug 33 is provided inwardly of its upper or outer endwith air passages 4| so that when this plug 33 has been moved inwardly,a slight degree of air may freely pass about the periphery of thetapered portion 34 of the plug and then through the openings M and intothe chamber formed between the inner end of the plug 33 and the top ofthe head I5. The housing II is also provided inwardly of the plug 33with a vent opening 42 which is above the head I5 and extends throughthe cylindrical portion 35 of the upper end of the housing I I. Thisvent 42 is closed when the plug or closure 33 is forced inwardly byengagement with a pressure device so that no air from this pressuredevice will pass out through the vent or opening 42. The vent 42provides a means whereby air in the neck of the housing II between theouter end I5 of the cylinder I4 and the plug 33 may be released so as tofacilitate inward movement of the plug 33 when a pressure device isengaged with the outer end of the plug 33. In this manner inwardmovement of the plug 33 will not be retarded by compression of any airin the space between the plug 33 and the wall I5. This vent 42 alsoprovides a means whereby air pressure between the wall I5 and the plug33 may be released when the pressure device has been removed from theplug 33 so that where the spring 40 is relatively strong and moves theplug 33 to a closed position ahead of the closing of the valve 23 theclosing of the plug 33 will not retard or prevent the movement of thevalve 23 to a closed position under the pressure within the tire.

In the use and operation of this device, the usual valve insides areremoved from the stem I0 so that air pressure may move the iston I8 toits outermost position wherein air is prevented from flowing outwardlythrough the housing II, as shown in Figure 1. The pressure of airagainst the under side of the piston I8 will cause the gasket 23 to becompressed against the annular rib 22 so that no air will flow outthrough the bore 26 in the head I5.

When it is desired to fill or test the pressure in the inner tube orcontainer to which this air valve may be attached, the center post ofthe tester or the pressure device engages the plug or closure 33 andforces this said plug inwardly to a position opening all air passageswith the exception of the vent 42 which is closed at this time. In thismovement the rib 38 engages the stem 25 forcing the stem 25 and thepiston I8 inward to a position causing a preliminary opening of thegasket 23 at its seat 22 and a preliminary opening of the air grooves 20so that the pressure is free to fiow from the inner tube or thecontainer into the air testing device through the said air grooves 20between the stem 25 and the bore 26 and air passages 4|. In case of theair pressure device the incoming air forces the piston I8 further inwardto its extreme inward movement fully moving the gasket 23 off of itsseat 22 and moving the piston I8 to a position opening the air grooves20.

It will, therefore, be understood that an exeedingly simple device hasbeen constructed which may be mounted on any of the present valve stemsand that the usual valve insides may be removed. This device, throughthe medium of the plug 33 will prevent any dust or dirt from enteringinto the cylinder I4 to thereby prevent seating of the valve gasket 23on the seat 22.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications maybe made in the details of construction and design of the abovespecifically described embodiment of this invention without departingfrom the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restrictedonly by the scope of the following claim.

I claim:-

An air valve comprising an outer housing having a reduced neck at oneend provided with a tapered bore for a portion of the length thereof anda straight bore for the remainder of the length thereof, a cylinderwithin the outer housing having a closed outer end and an open inner endand provided with longitudinally extending grooves for a portion of thelength, said grooves terminating inwardly of the outer end of thecylinder, a piston slidable in the cylinder, said closed cylinder endhaving an axial bore, a longitudinally grooved stem secured to thepiston and extending outwardly through said axial bore, a valve seatcarried by the inner side of said closed cylinder end, a valve membersecured to the outer side of said piston end engageable with said seat,a plunger operating plug slidable in the neck and having a taperedsurface for a portion of the length thereof engageable with the taperedbore of the neck and also provided with a cylindrical surface for theremainder of the length thereof engageable with the straight bore of theneck, an axial stem carried by said plug engageable with said pistonstem, and a spring constantly urging said plug to closed position, saidhousing between the closed position of the plug and the outer end of thecylinder having a vent to the atmosphere.

ALBERT A. HAAS.

